


from past to present

by gr324221



Series: Sky Above, Voice Within [2]
Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fusion, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-25
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:35:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 7,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22891843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gr324221/pseuds/gr324221
Summary: Wrathion can't stop thinking about the man he met a week ago, and all it takes is a near-death experience to convince him to do something about it.
Relationships: Wrathion/Anduin Wrynn
Series: Sky Above, Voice Within [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1645456
Comments: 4
Kudos: 31





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> title is the name of another song from the Skyrim OST, which will likely be the naming theme for this series henceforth, forever. 
> 
> also, i should point out again that i'm not super well-versed in elder scrolls lore. although this isn't intended to be lore-compliant, i figured i'd give a warning, just in case i do a major lore mistake unrelated to the warcraft junk i'm putting in it.
> 
> i should also point out that none of my stories are beta read. i do my best to proofread, but i definitely miss stuff sometimes, and i'm so sorry for that.

The cave was cold and musty, which Wrathion, in recent months, had learned was fairly standard for caves. Truthfully, he couldn't stand them and would've been absolutely thrilled if someone told him that he'd never have to enter another cave as long as he lived, but he also couldn't stand the idea of some random mercenary claiming the bounty on the head of whichever small-time bandit chief had holed up there, so... there he was.

Stealth came easily to him, though his efforts were aided even more-so by the poor lighting and the enchantments on his boots. Wrathion couldn't be called small or even _slight_ , but he was no warrior. He could hold his own in combat, sure, but when faced with an angry Orsimer bandit chief wielding a warhammer likely weighing as much as himself... Wrathion would take any advantage he could get.

It also helped that he rarely partook of these adventures alone. He couldn't hear his companions behind him, but he knew they were there. Right and Left- two women who were as cagey as they were deadly, and they were _deadly_ \- followed closely. Right was immediately behind him, with Left staying a short distance behind; Left was deceptively stealthy for an Orc, and the average bandit would never see her coming, but the occasional misstep betrayed her inexperience. On the other hand, Right was a natural rogue, nearly as good as Wrathion himself, he could admit with no small amount of pride.

With Wrathion and Right taking the lead, and Left following and easily dispatching anything that may attempt to sneak up on _them_ , they cleared much of the cave with deadly efficiency, as they always did. This particular cave was large, and this group of bandits small, so they were spread out the perfect distance to be taken out without raising alarm among the others. Wrathion _so_ loved it when they made it easy for him; not that he didn't love a challenge, but... he hated caves.

As he crept around a corner, he saw one bandit standing before a fire, and a rather delectable-looking chest against the stone wall across from him. With his dagger in hand and the shadows on his side, he made quick work of quick work of the bandit, and just as quickly turned his attention to the chest. A quick once-over revealed that the chest wasn't trapped, so Wrathion picked the lock with ease to rifle through its contents. Although these bandit chests rarely contained anything worth taking, aside from gold or potions, Wrathion was pleasantly surprised to learn that this particular chest seemed to belong to a mage. Wrathion didn't care much for mages robes or circlets, nor did either of his companions, but he knew that mages liked to enchant things, and that enchanted things were potentially worth a fair bit of gold.

The first thing he retrieved was a staff. Wrathion, on any other occasion, would've just tossed it aside; they were unwieldy, and rarely worth enough gold to justify lugging it around a dungeon, but he paused. Although staves weren't his area of expertise, he immediately recognized this one as a restoration staff. He wasn't sure what it did, exactly, but he began to wonder if maybe the other items in the chest would be related to the restoration school of magic as well. He peered into the chest and noticed some basic blue robes, and a gleaming silver circlet. He picked it up, noting an unfamiliar enchantment empowering it, and admired the glimmering pale-blue moonstones adorning it.

_Anduin would like this_ , he thought to himself. He knew well enough that this particular circlet's base value wasn't especially high, for a circlet, and the enchantment would certainly increase the value, possibly by a fair margin. But, he would have to take it to a mage and have it appraised, which is time he could spend doing more important things... or he could just give it to Anduin. He doesn't exactly need the money, nor would he reject an opportunity to see Anduin again. He carefully tucked the circlet into his knapsack, then grabbed the staff. He hated the idea of carrying it around for the rest of the trip, so he held it out to Left. She glared at him, and Right raised a brow. Wrathion ignored them, and wiggled it insistently in Left's direction until she rolled her eyes and took it, strapping it to her back. He gave her a grin, and they continued on their way. He knew that this particular group of bandits wasn't particularly large, and considering the number they'd taken out already, Wrathion felt they must be nearing the end. He noticed that Right had finished picking over the dead bandit's meager belongings, so they continued on their way.

Had it really only been a week since he met Anduin? It felt longer than that. Wrathion could admit that he wasn't the most patient person in the world, but he had almost expected to hear from him. Sure, their conversation had been left a bit open-ended, but that's what made it fun! Had Anduin kept his word? Was he waiting for Wrathion to return to share the news in person? _No_ , Wrathion stopped that train of thought, _don't get your hopes up_. In all his time spent trying to win Wrynn's favor, he had learned exactly one thing: the man was stubborn as a mule. Would Varian even listen to his son's counsel on this subject? Despite all he'd done for him and his people, the Jarl still wouldn't even meet with him! Could he make his distrust more obvious?

_How do I know that Anduin doesn't feel the same way?_

At first, it was a game. Wrathion wanted something, something that Anduin could help him get, but he was caught off guard. Wrathion had made the mistake of ranting about his displeasure with the way he'd been treated, and Anduin _smiled_ at him, so pure and unabashed, a smile that made Wrathion's cheeks burn and his heart skip a bit. He'd acted like a child, he realized then, and although he played it off fairly well in his opinion, he still couldn't help but regret being so vocal about his frustration. Is that why he hadn't heard from Anduin yet, because he acted like a child?

Wrathion remembered the circlet in his knapsack, and the staff Left was so kindly carrying for him. They were definitely a good enough excuse to see Anduin again, and that's exactly what he would do. They would kill the bandit chief in this cave, return to Riften to collect their bounty, then Wrathion would, alone, travel to Falkreath, present the circlet and staff as gifts to Anduin, and maybe, if that wasn't enough, he would _possibly_ apologize. It was perfect; _foolproof_ , even.

Wrathion felt a soft click under his foot.

As lost in his thoughts as he was, he didn't have time to react before the darts pierced the exposed skin of his face and neck. Just as quickly, he was tackled to the ground. He wasn't sure what did it -the poison, or being tackled- but the world faded to black.


	2. Chapter 2

“I met Wrathion today.”

Anduin briefly wondered if it was a bad idea to bring this up over dinner, where his father may choke, but Varian simply slowed his chewing, aggravation clear on his features.

“What did he want?” he asked after a few long, painful moments.

“He's upset because he feels he done enough to earn a place in your court, but you won't even grant him an audience,” Anduin doesn't want his father to feel as though he's taken Wrathion's side; he trusts his father, and he's proven to be exceptionally skilled at reading people and their intentions. However, Anduin fears that maybe his father has allowed the rumors to cloud his judgment and seal Wrathion's fate before he'd even met the man.

“Upset?” Varian repeated his son's word, annoyance making way to thinly-veiled anger, “Did he threaten you?”

“No!” he said quickly, and perhaps a bit too loudly, “No, it wasn't like that, I swear. I mean, he did try to bribe me,” Varian narrowed his eyes, clearly not finding Anduin's statement reassuring, “but he was joking, I think. Mostly.” Anduin sighed. “We didn't talk for very long, but I get the impression that the rumors of him being some sort of criminal mastermind may be a bit... exaggerated.”

“How do you mean?”

“He's kind of a brat.”

“You think that the _Dragonborn_ is a brat?” Varian said with an amused snort, and Anduin couldn't keep himself from giggling from the ridiculousness of it.

“Yes, I think he's a brat,” he said, still smiling. “Don't get me wrong; he's charming, and, ostensibly, just clever as his reputation precedes, but I think... he just isn't used to being told that he can't have something, especially something he worked hard for.”

“I have no issue with being the first to tell him 'no'.” the last vestiges of amusement faded quickly from his fathers face, sternness taking over. “Granting him the title of Thane is more than just... granting him a title, you know that, Anduin. Can you tell me, with confidence, that Wrathion wouldn't abuse his influence within our hold?”

“No,” Anduin sighed and shook his head. “But his name _already_ carries significant weight, and he's well-respected by our people. Have you heard from any of our people that he's abusing that power he already has?” Varian didn't respond, looking annoyed. “I haven't. Would him having the title of 'Thane' really make his behavior worse?”

“Yes, because if he _did_ choose to abuse his power, he would be doing so with _my_ blessing,” Anduin could tell this his father was struggling to keep his cool. “I'm not putting our people at risk to satisfy his ego, and that's the end of it, Anduin.”

“I don't think he's a bad person, father,” Anduin said gently. He didn't want the discussion to end here; he hadn't excepted him to come around immediately, but he'd hoped there would be _some_ progress, which clearly hadn't happened yet. “Yes, he's a pompous brat, but I do think he means well. He's fought hard to protect all of us, risking life and limb every day to keep us safe, and contrary to how he may act, I don't believe that he's only in it for the power. I'm not asking you to change your mind, but could you just give him a chance?”

Varian sighed and set his jaw. Anduin didn't anticipate getting an answer from him, so he continued.

“There's some land outside the city that's he's very interested in buying. If you allowed him to buy it, we could keep a close eye on him without granting him any special privileges or protections, and it would make him happy, and it would make our _people_ happy to know that the Dragonborn would be spending time at his property here,” Varian blinked at him a few times and seemed like he was going to say something, but Anduin didn't give him the chance, “Better yet, I know for a _fact_ that he'd be willing to pay a nice sum for it; we could use that money to finally repair that old watchtower, which would make everyone feel safer.”

“Anduin,” Varian groaned, propping an elbow on the table and resting his forehead on the heel of his hand, “when did you get so good at this? And why the hell am I still the Jarl?” Anduin grinned, relieved to finally feel the tension dying down. Varian rolled his eyes and shook his head, but he smiled softly. “Look, I'll _think_ about it about letting him buy the land. I'm not promising anything.”

* * *

That night, as Anduin laid in bed, he felt almost giddy. Should he write to Wrathion to let him know about the conversation with his father? _No_ , he decided, _I shouldn't get his hopes up, or mine._ He knew that Varian could be damn stubborn, and although he felt their discussion went well, it was still very possible that he would completely disregard everything Anduin had said. _But if Wrathion came to speak with me again_ , Anduin thought, _I don't think there would be any harm in mentioning it._


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing Wrathion noticed as he came to was the aching, everywhere. It didn't help that he was clearly laying on a hard, stone floor. He kept his eyes closed for a few moments longer as he collected his thoughts and attempted to piece together what had happened before he lost consciousness, but he drew a blank. Finally, he opened his eyes and, still bleary, took in his surroundings. He quickly recognized this place as being just inside the entrance the cave they'd been clearing, just as dark and unappealing as he remembered, though not quite as cold. His body protested as he raised himself up onto his elbows. He peered around and noticed Left, sitting alone in front of a fire. His blood ran cold. She had noticed that he was finally awake, and glared at him.

“Where's-”

“Clearing out the rest of the loot.”

Wrathion almost gasped at the relief flooding him. Right and Left were extraordinarily private people, but in the many months he'd known them, he slowly came to realize that they weren't two mercenaries who just happened to work together. After he caught sight of a plain but shining wedding band on Right's finger, he decided that his suspicions were correct, though he'd never ask either of them to confirm. Left's unusually cold attitude reminded him, very firmly, that there would be _consequences_ if something were to happen to Right. He didn't know if he could take Left in a fight, or if he should even want to. He caught his breath and moved into a sitting position before he tried to speak again.

“What-”

“You stepped on a pressure plate and triggered a poison dart trap. She tackled you, which saved you from the worst of it, but you took a few hits. I made you drink some of that potion.” She nodded in his direction, and he noticed an empty potion bottle beside him, labeled “ _Cure Poison_ ”. That explained the wretched taste in his mouth, but he figured that was better than dying from poison.

“Is she-”

“Her armor was sufficient enough to block them, but I gave her half of your potion, just to be safe. Figured you wouldn't need it all.” She was likely right; he and his kin didn't succumb to poison easily. “ _You_ should've been wearing a helmet, or even a hood. And you should've been paying attention to where you were going.”

“I know,” he said, trying not to let his voice betray how awful he felt. He could've gotten them killed, all because he wanted to think about _Anduin_ , “What happened after that?”

“The commotion alerted the rest of them. There weren't many. We took care of them, easily, and their chief is dead. I made you both drink that potion, then I dragged you back here to wait for Right. She should be back any minute, then we can leave.”

Wrathion nodded, and scooted back to sit more comfortable with his back up against the wall, wincing at the pain, which he now realized was from Right's actions. Right was the very picture of a rogue: small and lean, with only a fair bit of muscle, but _damn,_ Wrathion realized, she could pack a _punch_. He reached out for his knapsack and dug around for a lesser healing potion. He knew he had plenty, so he didn't feel guilty about using one to ease the aching, or the faint stinging from where the needles penetrated his face and neck.

They sat in silence for several minutes, with Left occasionally looking over to glare in his direction.

“Hey, Left?” She looked over at him, the only indication that she'd heard him. “Why don't you two keep the bounty on this one, and whatever loot she brings back? You can head back to Riften for a bit; I have business to take care of in Falkreath.” She was silent for a few moments before giving a slow nod and returning her gaze to the fire.

“Sounds fair.”

_Sounds more than fair_ , he wanted to grumble, but he knew that he owed this to them.

* * *

It was another twenty minutes before Right returned, looking very pleased with herself, carrying a few pieces of enchanted gear and a _pocketful_ of surprisingly valuable gems; Wrathion briefly regretted letting them have the all the loot this time. They left the cave together and walked out to where their horses were tied up, well out of sight of the road. Before he mounted his horse, he remembered the staff he'd given Left to carry for him.

“Oh! Left, the staff,” he reached out a hand. She grunted, clearly annoyed, but handed it over. To his surprise, she still held her hand out, clearly expected something.

“You said _we_ get the loot. Give me the circlet.” His shock must've been clear on his face, because Left didn't leave him hanging long before giving him an amused snort. “Just messing with you.” Right laughed gleefully.

He huffed and glared at both of them, but it didn't last long before he was having to fight a smile. He bid them farewell before they mounted their horses and went their separate ways.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is much longer than the others, but the next two are quite short. sorry about that!

It was one of the few mornings in Falkreath that wasn't foggy or pouring rain, and Anduin was determined to take advantage of it, even if it just meant running errands for Jaina. She'd never _ask_ him to run around for her, but he knew that she was running low on some reagents and offered to run to the alchemist's shop for her, and she gratefully accepted. The shop was barely a minute's walk away, but... it was something to do.

The actual process of buying the ingredients was trivial; he handed the alchemist Jaina's list, made polite small-talk while she gathered the ingredients for him, he paid, then he was out the door. He wasn't there even 10 minutes. _Oh well_ , he thought, only slightly morose, _maybe I could spend some time in the cemetery_.

He didn't hear footsteps approaching him from behind, but suddenly a heavy arm was slung around his shoulders, and someone was pressed up beside him. He flinched in surprised, which turned into a _good_ surprise as he realized who it was.

“Wrathion!”

“Anduin Wrynn. Just the man I was looking for!” Wrathion grinned at him. “I didn't scare you, did I?”

“Of course you did. How are you so quiet?” Anduin laughed. Wrathion removed his arm from Anduin's shoulders and shrugged. “Let me guess, you're here to ask if I've spoken to my father. I-”

“I'm not,” Wrathion interrupted quickly. Of course, he was _dying_ to know if Anduin had spoken to the Jarl, but that could wait. “I just wanted to see you.” Anduin looked surprised, and even flushed slightly pink at that.

“What, really?” Anduin eyed him suspiciously. “You must want something else then.”

“Is it too much to believe that I may just want to talk to you?”

“When last we spoke, you had a pretty serious request. You're _honestly_ not going to bug me about that?”

“Maybe later,” Wrathion admitted, but he put his arm around Anduin's shoulder again, and they continued walking, Wrathion turning around and guiding him toward the road heading east out of town.

“Where are we going?” Anduin spoke up after a few minutes.

“Someplace quiet,” he said vaguely.

“You're not planning on kidnapping me and holding me for ransom, are you?” Anduin was mostly joking, but he did desire some clarification. He wasn't afraid of Wrathion. His only fear in the whole ' _kidnapping and being held for ransom_ ' scenario was for _Wrathion's_ safety when his father finds out.

“Anduin, I'm hurt,” Wrathion pressed their sides closer together, and Anduin looked over to see a look of exaggerated mournfulness on his face. He also realized that Wrathion was _very_ close to him, but he didn't mind. He was glad that they were finally outside of town, and away from the ever-watchful guards. He... really wasn't sure that his father should know about this. “I would never do that,” Wrathion paused for a few seconds, “to you.”

They both laughed, and Anduin gave him a gentle shove.

“You know, Wrathion, I get the impression that you're all talk.” Wrathion narrowed his eyes and for a moment, Anduin worried that he may have actually offended him.

“Don't make me kidnap you just to prove a point,” he said after a moment, and Anduin smiled.

They walked side-by-side until they reached the point where the road split, and Wrathion guided him north.

“Really though, where are we going?”

“Hm,” Wrathion thought for a moment. “I don't actually know.”

Anduin rolled his eyes, thoroughly amused by Wrathion's admission. As they approached the abandoned remnants of a bandit lookout, a barely-worn path heading through the woods back west caught his eye. He knew where it led.

“You've been to Shriekwind Bastion, right?” Wrathion hummed affirmatively.

“I cleared that place out ages ago. Have you?”

“No,” Anduin chuckled. “Probably a good thing, considering the _vampires_.”

Wrathion stopped suddenly, and Anduin noticed that dangerous glint in his eye that he'd come to recognize meant that Wrathion was about to do something that would make him _very_ uncomfortable. Sure enough, Wrathion grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the path leading to the old tomb.

“This feels like a really bad idea,” Anduin chuckled.

“Nonsense! You're going to love it,” he said confidently, “I _personally_ emptied that place out. Killed the vampires and everything. It'll be fine. Though...” Wrathion trailed off, quickly looking Anduin over, “Are you carrying any weapons? We should be armed, just in case. You never know what might've moved in since then.”

Anduin used that opportunity to look him over as well. Wrathion wasn't wearing the same finery that he wore during their last meeting, and was actually wearing armor. It was a dark, almost black leather; sturdy, but very handsome-looking. He also had a heavy-looking knapsack on his back, and a pair of particularly deadly black daggers strapped to either hip.

“I have...” Anduin fumbled with his own satchel for a moment before retrieving a simple iron dagger from within, “this.”

Wrathion looked disturbed, possibly even offended.

“That's it? Anduin, I could've killed you 5 separate times in the time it took you to present that... that _letter-opener_ ,” Wrathion practically snarled. “You're the Jarl's son; you should have better protection.”

Anduin gave him a faint smile and shrugged.

“I never really need it,” he turned away and began walked up the trail, Wrathion staying by his side. “I don't leave town, and I trust the guards to do their job. My father may have enemies, but I suppose none of them have hated us enough to send assassins to our home.”

“I've heard that your father is quite the warrior; I take it you've trained under him at least?”

“Um,” Anduin gave a nervous chuckle, “a bit, I guess? I'm not a warrior like him. He _really_ wants me to be, but I'm just... not. It only took a few years of failed effort for him to start to think that maybe I'd be better suited to other forms of combat. I do know a few basic spells to defend myself, and I enjoy archery, so... I'm not _entirely_ defenseless, Wrathion.” He smiled, and his tone at the end was teasing, mainly because he felt that the conversation was veering dangerously into ' _too serious and personal_ ' territory and he wanted to defuse it right away. _He's the Dragonborn_ , Anduin thought, _he doesn't care about this stuff!_

Wrathion gave a short, quizzical hum, and frowned so faintly that Anduin nearly missed it.

“Well, I hope you know how to avoid being bitten by a skeever,” Wrathion spoke after a few moments of rather uncomfortable silence, “because that's all we're likely to find in here, if even that. I don't want to _imagine_ what your father would say if I return you to Falkreath with ataxia.”

They'd finally reached the point where the forest path ended, and the stone pathway leading to the southern entrance to the tomb began. Wrathion hurried ahead, just a few steps, and drew his daggers.

“Just in case.” Wrathion winked. Anduin shook his head, but couldn't suppress a smile. As they made their way up the stairs and across the wide stone ledge, Anduin looked to his left and slowed his pace to take in the view of the town.

When he was younger, and the weather was fair, he'd climb the small hill just behind the lumber mill to play by the stream. As a child, that hill felt like a mountain, towering over the town. Though he knew that he was truly only a stones throw from the nearest building, he enjoyed that spot, and the solitude it offered him. Now, he could see that tiny stream beneath them, and he was filled with that same sense of peace and solitude and adventure that he so often felt as a child.

“Don't waste your time,” Wrathion said. “ _That_ is nothing compared to what you'll see inside.”

“I'll try not to take that as an insult to my home.”

“It's not. Honestly.” Anduin fought the urge to roll his eyes.

“It'd better be worth the hike,” Anduin said lightly, though he was beginning to get worried. He felt fine so far, and he hadn't needed his cane that day, but he knew how quickly things could change.

“Anduin, would I lead you astray?” Wrathion's voice was suspiciously innocent.

“I honestly have no clue, Wrathion. This is only the second time we've met. You're practically a stranger.”

“That's a good point. You should be more cautious around strangers,” he said, very condescendingly. “Though, obviously, we're well on our way to changing that. Besides, I'm the _Dragonborn_ ; you don't get where I am by abducting nobles.”

“I don't think that those two things are related, necessarily.”

Wrathion shrugged.

* * *

Wrathion guided him up a set of stairs leading to a large stone door, covered in the ornate carvings Anduin knew to be typical for a tomb like this. He stepped carefully, the small difference in altitude being enough to leave the steps dusted with a fine coating of snow. He also noticed Wrathion, a few steps ahead, watching him out of the corner of his eye.

He continued to follow a few steps behind as Wrathion opened the door and stepped inside. The heavy door swung shut behind them, plunging the tomb into silence and leaving the eerily ever-burning candles as their only light source. Wrathion was undisturbed, however, and made his way down the steps as casually as he did anything. Anduin followed, of course, more careful of the plant-life eager to reclaim the tomb.

“It's a bit further,” Wrathion explained, his voice seemingly amplified by the narrow walls around them, “but it should be easy, as long as you like stairs.” Anduin groaned.

Despite the rooms and halls branching off, Wrathion walked confidently, as though he knew every twist and turn to his destination. Anduin followed closely, leaving plenty of room between himself and Wrathion, just in case he needed defend them from a potential threat, but not so much that he risked Wrathion leaving his sight. The tomb was clearly victim to natural decay as it aged, leaving the already narrow halls cluttered with fallen stone and roots; despite this, Anduin was pleased to realize that he was keeping Wrathion's pace.

After a few minutes of walking, the way opened up to a massive circular chamber, illuminated by sunlight streaming in through a crack in the ceiling above. Anduin noticed that their path continued to their left, moving upward against the outer edge of the room. Wrathion stepped forward confidently, coming to a stop inches from the edge, before turned back to Anduin.

“See?” He spoke matter-of-factly, leaning forward to peer down to the bottom of the chamber. “We haven't even reached the end yet, but it's already worth it.”

Anduin approached him at the edge of the walkway, much more cautiously. He wasn't necessarily afraid of heights, but he wasn't about to run up to the edge of the dilapidated walkway at some unknown height. He saw that despite their current path only continuing upward, there were at least two more levels winding beneath them before reaching the bottom of the chamber. Anduin smiled when he saw a tree -small, but a tree nonetheless- basking in the sunlight near the center of the bottom level, near some sort of grate. It was an interesting sight, one that made Anduin feel like Wrathion was right about it already being worth the trip.

* * *

The rest of their short journey to the end of the tomb was completed in companionable quiet. Wrathion would speak up every few minutes, just to warn him not to trip over an upcoming obstacle of some sort, but Anduin got the distinct impression that Wrathion was waiting to say something, likely until they reached their destination. It didn't take long -another ten minutes or so- to reach that destination, with Wrathion guiding him through twists and turns as if he knew this place intimately.

“Well, here we are.” Wrathion motioned, with a flourish, to a stone door similar to the one at the entrance. Without further ado, he pulled the door open.

It took Anduin's eyes a moment to adjust to the sunlight. Wrathion either didn't notice or didn't care, because he was already stepping through the doorway. Anduin, as always, approached with more caution. His sight was limited from the doorway due to the stone balcony, extending several feet outward, but his knees immediately weakened at the realization of how _high_ they were. He immediately gripped the doorway.

 _This is ridiculous_ , he thought, _Wrathion can't expect me to go out there! Who knows how stable this whole structure is?_

He was torn from his thoughts by the realization that Wrathion had stopped and was staring at him, brows raised expectantly.

“Are you going to join me?” He asked with a smirk. “This view is what we came here for, you know. And I'm not going to _push_ you, if that's what you're thinking.”

“Wrathion, this entire place is literally falling apart.”

“This place has probably stood for centuries! It'll likely last many more. _We_ are not going to break it just by sitting on it!” Wrathion's voice betrayed his amusement. “I _promise_ ,” he added quickly.

“I don't think you can promise that!”

Wrathion shot him a disapproving look for just a moment before smirking again. Slowly, he approached Anduin, and took the hand that wasn't gripping the doorway between his own. Wrathion took a few steps backwards.

“ _Wrathion_ ,” Anduin whined, still hesitant to release his grip on the doorway, even as Wrathion pulled him further from it. 

“You don't have to come out to the edge,” he assured him smoothly, “Just... this far.” Wrathion stopped about two feet from the edge. Ever-so-gently, Wrathion continued to pull him nearer, until Anduin met him where he stood. Then, Wrathion slowly lowered himself until he was sitting on the floor, prompting Anduin to do the same. “Now...  _scoot_ .” Anduin chuckled lightly. 

“I'm not sure how I feel about the Dragonborn telling me to  _scoot_ .” Wrathion glared. Still, Anduin followed him, scooting until he reached the edge. Carefully, he let his legs fall over, and Wrathion did the same. 

“See?” Wrathion smiled triumphantly, finally releasing Anduin's hand from his grip. “It's not so bad once you're out here.”

“Yeah,” Anduin smiled back, and it was true; now that he was out there, he could feel how sturdy the balcony was, almost as if it'd been carved right out of the mountain.

“This is the view we were waiting for,” Wrathion said, almost smugly. “I can't say that I appreciated it the first time I came through here. I was too eager to move on to the next thing.”

“I'm glad you brought me here, though.” Anduin was earnest, which nearly surprised Wrathion. _How long has it been since I met someone as genuine as him?_ It wasn't as though he found the people of Skyrim entirely unpleasant, moreso that they tended to be a bit... gruff. Not that he minded, exactly. In fact, it seemed to make his job easier, as people tended to go about their business and were never keen to look too hard into his own, as long as he kept to himself. Anduin wasn't like that, Wrathion was starting to realize. Anduin could laugh easily and _blushed_ when Wrathion teased him. He glanced over and saw Anduin peering down at the city to the south beneath them, contentment clear on his face. He wanted, desperately, to continue watching him, but he didn't want to risk upsetting his new friend. _Friend_ , he mused, _is it too soon to call him my friend?_

“Good,” Wrathion said finally, mostly to break the silence. He came here to _speak_ to Anduin, not sit in silence and look at the scenery, though... he found he was quite enjoying it. “What is _that_?” he asked, pointing to a dilapidated tower to the west, not too far from their own position.

“That's just the old watchtower. It fell into disrepair ages ago and we simply haven't been able to justify paying for the necessary repairs.” Anduin shrugged, then looked at Wrathion and smiled. “On that note, will you finally let me tell you what my father said?”

“Anduin,” Wrathion sighed, “why won't you believe that I came to see you?” Anduin scoffed.

“You came here two weeks ago and threatened to blackmail my father over this,” Anduin tried to act serious at first, but he couldn't avoid smiling at the frustrated look on his companion's face. “and now you want me to believe that you came here just to see me?”

“Well, if you must know,” he said, matter-of-factly, “I brought you a gift. And no, I'm not trying to bribe you. _And_ there is a second gift, though I didn't want to carry it around all day, so I left it in my room at the inn.” Anduin's confusion and suspicion were obvious, but Wrathion ignored it in favor of digging through his knapsack. It only took him a moment to find what he was searching for: the silver and moonstone circlet. Anduin's eyes widened when Wrathion handed it to him.

“What is this?” he asked, clearly unsure of what to make of the situation as he felt the heavy weight of the jewelry in his hand.

“It's a circlet,” Wrathion replied, as condescending as ever.

“What kind of enchantment is this?”

“I'm not sure,” he said with a shrug, “but I found it in a cave. It was in a chest with a restoration staff -which is the other gift, by the way- so I thought it may be able to enhance your restoration abilities, but enchanting isn't one of my strong suits, so I can't tell you that for certain.” Anduin's eyes were wide with surprise and wonder.

“I can't-”

“ _Yes_ , you can.” Wrathion insisted. “Really, Anduin, if you don't want it, I'll just fling it from this balcony, because it is _truly_ not worth my time to find someone to sell it to.”

“Wrathion,” Anduin said softly and met his gaze, “thank you.”

 _Oh no_ , Wrathion thought as he stared into Anduin's stormy-blue eyes, _he's absolutely precious_. He didn't even want to imagine how silly he looked, as captivated as he was, and he could feel his cheeks burning. If Anduin noticed, he didn't say anything.

“If you don't mind,” Anduin continued, “I'd like to have Jaina take a look at this, just to be sure that the enchantment is safe.”

“Of course.” Wrathion figured that a lesser man may have taken Anduin's statement as distrust, though he knew better. “Now, you've piqued my curiosity. How is my request in any way related to your watchtower?” Anduin looked confused for a brief moment, then grinned.

“ _Now_ you want to know?” he teased. “Are you sure there's nothing else you'd like to give me first?”

“There's _plenty_ that I'd like to give you,” Wrathion scoffed, but then reached into his knapsack again and retrieved a bottle of wine. “I'm afraid this is all I have. Though,” he said quietly, poking around more, “I may have some snacks in here, if you're interested.” Anduin laughed, and Wrathion hid his own smile by busying himself with prying the cork from the bottle. He took a swig before handing it over. “Don't drink too much, though. I may be the Dragonborn, but that doesn't mean I can carry you back down the mountain.”

Anduin took a long drink before handing it back.

“Don't get your hopes up,” he began, “but I think it went well. I mean, as well as _any_ talk with my father can go. He isn't ready to name you Thane yet, but he seems a bit more open to allowing you to purchase land here. Unfortunately, I... may have given him the idea to raise the price, though,” he said, sheepishly. “I suggested that we use the funds that we receive from the sale to repair the watchtower.”

“Anduin Wrynn,” he began lowly, giving him the most intensely serious stare he could muster, “I will _personally_ fund the restoration of that tower if you let me buy that property.”

“Why do you need this property so badly?” Despite Wrathion's intensity, Anduin couldn't help but be amused. “Surely you could own property in _other_ holds, right?”

“That's the problem, Anduin,” he groaned, “I _already_ own property in other holds. _Every_ other hold, in fact.” Anduin's brows shot up.

“You own property in _every other hold_? What, are you collecting them?” he asked incredulously.

“Maybe I'm ready to retire from this Dragonborn business and become a landlord,” he replied all too imperiously, but Anduin could recognizing an amused glint in his eyes.

“Sure,” Anduin laughed. “I somehow get the impression that you don't have the patience for that.”

“That's why I have stewards. Seems like easy money for me,” Wrathion smirked, making a show of checking his surprisingly well-manicured nails. “I could spend the rest of my days in the countryside, which, in this scenario, would _ideally_ be Falkreath.”

Anduin hesitated just a moment.

“You're joking, right?”

“Mostly,” Wrathion shrugged. “I do have stewards and housecarls maintaining my other properties. Well, all except my home in Riften, which is where my bodyguards live. I'm not quite ready to retire, but it would be nice to have a house out here. My homesteads in the Pale and Hjaalmarch are lovely, of course, but I'd prefer someplace less deathly freezing.”

“So where do _you_ actually live, then?” Wrathion thought for a few moments.

“Riften, I suppose,” he said finally. “Work was fairly easy to come by, though much of it required... extensive travel. Still, I always had to return if I wanted to be paid, so it made sense to at least have a home to return to.” The admission reminded Anduin of something that he'd clearly forgotten: the rumors of Wrathion's involvement with the Thieves' Guild. “But I don't do much work in Riften anymore,” he continued nonchalantly, and Anduin wondered if Wrathion knew that he knew about the rumors. “Mostly just a bounty here and there, nothing too spectacular. I'm not as desperate for money as I was back then; I can afford to pick and choose the work I take.”

Was that a subtle way of telling Anduin that he wasn't involved in thievery anymore, without actually admitting guilt? He was curious, certainly, but if Wrathion didn't offer this information willingly, he wasn't going to press him.

“So, why relocate to Falkreath?”

“Hm,” Wrathion looked at him strangely for a moment, then took another swig of wine. “I just like it here, I suppose.”

Anduin offered him a small smile, and Wrathion gave him one in return.


	5. Chapter 5

When Wrathion finally returned to Riften, he hadn't been there two days before a courier ran up to him.

“A letter from the Jarl of Falkreath,” he said, soundly mildly impressed. Wrathion took the letter and dismissed him without a word.

_Don't get your hopes up_ , Anduin had told him. Still, Wrathion's hopes were up as he unsealed the letter. He read the single page quickly, nervousness turning to joy, then to fury. Just as he'd hoped, Jarl Varian was allowing him to purchase the land he desired, for a sum of 25,000 Septims.

Wrathion crushed the letter in his fist. _25,000 Septims_! That was the price he'd paid for his manor in Solitude, and easily five times what the land was actually worth! It was obvious that Wrynn either didn't want him to have the property, or he wanted to squeeze as much money out of him as possible. He could afford it, sure, but did he want to give Varian the satisfaction? Part of him considered abandoning his quest altogether and finding a new project to devote his time and energy to, but as he found himself approaching the hearth with the letter still crumpled in his hand, he remembered a certain promise he'd made to Anduin, to fund the watchtower restoration in exchange for the land.

_Damn it all!_ He sighed and sat at the dining room table, burying his face in his hands.

“What's wrong with you?” Wrathion jumped. He hadn't heard Left come upstairs. _She's getting better at that,_ he noted.

“I've finally heard back from Jarl Varian,” he sneered. “He'll sell me the land, for 25,000 Septims.” He heard Right give a low whistle; he hadn't noticed her sit on the edge of his bed. Left walked past her and joined him at the table.

“So, you're going to spend 25,000 Septims on an empty piece of land, just so you can sleep with the Jarl's son?”

“Excuse-” Wrathion sputtered, “ _I am not buying it just to sleep with his son._ ”

“He's cute, I guess,” Right laughed, “If you're into that. Maybe not _that_ cute, though.”

“I'm not-” he cut himself off with a groan and rubbed at his temples. “You're both awful.”

“So, you're trying to buy the land to... impress him, and then he'll sleep with you?” Left asked.

“No!” he said quickly. “I just... sort of promised him that I'd fund the restoration of an old, decrepit watchtower outside Falkreath if his father allowed me to buy the land. I don't know if this price includes the cost of the repairs, or if Wrynn is just trying to rip me off. I don't want to be ripped off, _obviously_ , but I don't want Anduin to think that I'm going back on my promise to him.”

“Sounds like a real dilemma,” Left said, now wholly disinterested in the conversation.

“Ugh. You two are no help at all.” He stood from the table. “I'm going back to Falkreath. I suppose I'd rather get ripped off than risk upsetting Anduin.”

“Okay.”

“Have fun!” Right added cheerfully. Wrathion knew that her joy was more due to him leaving them alone with his house for the next few days, but he didn't mind.


	6. Chapter 6

Anduin had a clear schedule for the day. Well, as clear as it could get before he got bored and started begging Jaina for errands to run or _something_. He was in luck today; the alchemist's shop had gotten a shipment of a few rare ingredients that Jaina needed. He didn't want to seem too eager about his task, but his excitement betrayed him when he stepped outside the Jarl's Longhouse just a bit too quickly, and slammed directly into someone standing outside.

“Whoa,” a familiar voice chuckled, and he felt strong hands hold him steady, keeping him from losing his balance on the steps. “Anduin! Heading out? I'm glad I caught you, then.” Wrathion winked at him.

“Hey!” Anduin grinned. “You're back already? Is everything alright?”

“Better than alright,” Wrathion gave him a sly smile in return, and patted a very full, very _jingly_ coin-purse strapped to his hip. “Don't go far. I can't stay long, but I'd like to start making arrangements for construction as soon as I have the deed in-hand, and I was hoping that you'd like to help me figure out the best locals for the job.”

“Oh!” Anduin was surprised. Wrathion obviously held no small amount of influence across Skyrim, and considering the fact that he already owned so many properties, he likely had access to the best architects and builders in Skyrim; he assumed that Wrathion would want to bring in his own crews. “Great! I have to go grab some things for Jaina, but I'll be back soon.”

“Very good. I'll see you soon.”

**Author's Note:**

> i'm sorry this took so long to get out! i didn't even expect for this AU to turn into a series, but it kinda grabbed me! (also i had to edit the description bc i forgot what i wrote in the first chapter, so if you saw that, my bad)
> 
> i already have a pretty solid idea of what part 3 will be, and i can't wait to get started on it! it will most likely be much shorter than this (maybe around 2-3 chapters), but i promise they'll smooch in that one. early on, too! i'll try to have it posted in the next week or two.
> 
> thank you to everyone who left comments on the first part of this story (and on any of my other fics)!! i honestly get so nervous when i see that someone's commented on one of my fics, but everyone has been so sweet! i may not reply to everything (bc i'm shy) but please, please know that i love you so much and i'm so grateful for the kudos and comments. <3


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